Demi Moore paintings

Actress Demi Moore will be among the highlights of Sotheby’s auction of Victorian era paintings, when two works from her collection go on the auction block. She could be in for a big payday.

The two paintings from Moore’s collection by French artist William Bouguereau and Belgian Alfred Stevens, will be offered at an auction of 19th century European art in New York on Thursday. They could fetch about $1.7 million.

The auction will offer 82 works with an overall pre-sale estimate of $20 million to 30 million, according to the auction house.

Ms Moore said she bought the paintings 15 years ago at auction for $178,500 and $200,500 respectively, but decided they no longer fit the decor of her home, which is being renovated.